As the series shifts to Calgary for Game 3 on Sunday night, the Canucks are trying to take the focus off the unfortunate events that overshadowed their victory. Daniel Sedin, Chris Higgins, Ronalds Kenins and Radim Vrbata scored as Vancouver avoided an NHL-record eighth consecutive home playoff defeat.
"Regardless of what people are talking about, we got a big win," defenseman Kevin Bieksa said. "We got a win where we felt like we outplayed them for the whole game."
The Flames, who in Game 1 earned a 2-1 victory on Kris Russell's goal with 30 seconds remaining, acknowledge that the frustration over their impending defeat boiled over. That doesn't mean they regret how things played out.
"Obviously we weren't happy with the score at the time. We got involved and there was a scrum and it escalated," forward Brandon Bollig said. "You have to send a message somehow. We play a tough game. We're a hard-working team."
Calgary now prepares for the club's first home playoff game since losing Game 6 to Chicago in the first round in 2009. The Flames went 4-0-2 at the Saddledome to end the regular season and snapped a four-game home losing streak to Vancouver with a 3-2 win Feb. 14.
"I don't think any of us are going to back down. Neither team is," Flames forward Matt Stajan said. "We play scrappy. We've got to battle back. That wasn't good enough from our team. We stick together here and we regroup altogether and use our crowd next game and try to get a win."
The Canucks feel like they're ready for anything Calgary throws at them.
"The hard hitting, the stuff at the end (of Game 2), it was like old-time hockey," forward Bo Horvat said. "It was a physical game, nobody was holding back and we are expecting the same thing in Game 3. We're going to have to be prepared."
